Archive for the ‘On The Run’Category

Runners, get ready! Registration for the Airbnb Brooklyn Half 2015 opens Wednesday, January 21 at 12 p.m. EST. Race day is Saturday, May 16 at 7 a.m. In 2014, this race sold out inside of 48 hours. So if you want in, make sure to register sooner than later.

The Brooklyn Half Finish (Photo: nyrr_ontherun/Instagram)

The Brooklyn Half is one of my favorite races of the year. The last two years I hosted a special episode of NYRR’s “On The Run” on ABC in New York, and I’ve run the half-marathon in years prior. (I now freelance for NYRR as a race announcer.)

The Brooklyn Half is now the largest 13.1-mile race in the U.S. with 25,642 finishers in 2014, and NYRR is promising an even bigger crowd for 2015.

Part of NYRR’s Five Borough Series, the race starts outside the Brooklyn Museum and takes runners through Grand Army Plaza and Prospect Park to finish on the Coney Island Boardwalk. Read the rest of this entry →

TCS New York City Marathon 2014 Race Week

Friday, October 31
5:25 p.m. at 7online.com
5:30 p.m. live on ABC7 in New York

Countdown to the Starting Line

Saturday, November 1
7:30 p.m. on ABC7 in New York

Get pumped for race day with “Countdown to the Starting Line,” live from the marathon finish line. “Eyewitness News” anchors Liz Cho and David Novarro preview the 44th TCS New York City Marathon. And I (yes, me!) pop-by to give a rundown on the top runners.

29

Oct 2014

A few folks who regularly watch “Giuliana & Bill” on E! recently told me that I was on the show! What?!

Back in November, half of the show’s dynamic duo ran the 2013 New York City Marathon for Timex. Bill Rancic started the race in dead last. For every runner he passed, Timex donated $1 to Giuliana Rancic’s charity for breast and ovarian cancer patients, Fab U Wish. I host New York Road Runners’ show, “On The Run,” and interviewed Bill twice before the race. He was incredibly nice and fun to chat with.

The E! camera crew was there filming us, filming Bill. Meta. I completely forgot that they asked us all to sign waivers so that they could use the footage on “Giuliana & Bill.” Apparently, the episode aired on May 20, 2014. Our little show about running was on E!

The segment they used is all of 20 seconds long. Here it is:

They dubbed my voice over my co-host Carrie Tollefson, when I say, “She’s a runner as well,” about Giuliana. They edited the footage to make it look like Carrie says it. Pretty funny. Even funnier is that the portion of the interview they used didn’t make our final cut.

Here’s our finished “On The Run” segment with Bill Rancic.

It’s interesting to see what one group of producers thinks is of interest to their audience, versus what another group of producers thinks is of interest to theirs. Two takes on one interview for two different audiences.

25

Jun 2014

It’s finally up: the full episode of “On The Run at the 2014 NYRR Brooklyn Half,” hosted by yours truly. It aired on ABC in New York on May 31, 2014. So if you missed it or live outside the New York metro area, check out New York Road Runners’ show from America’s biggest half-marathon with 25,646 finishers.

On The Run at the 2014 Brooklyn Half

The focus of this show is less, “Who will win?” and more, “How much fun will everyone have?”

We go on a running tour of the course in the days before the race, meet a variety of Brooklyn locals from a first-time half-marathoner to a runner gunning for a top 10 finish, party it up at the Brooklyn Half Pre-Party presented by New Balance, bike through north Brooklyn and capture all the excitement of race day from the finish on the Coney Island Boardwalk.

Watch the full episode that aired on ABC above or take a look at a few of the show’s segments broken out from the full episode, below. Read the rest of this entry →

14

Jun 2014

New York City’s biggest borough now has America’s biggest half-marathon. And we’re bringing the action to you with “NYRR On The Run at the 2014 Brooklyn Half” on ABC7 in New York. Tune in Saturday, May 31 at 1:30 p.m.

My microphone (Photo: nyrr_ontherun/Instagram)

Hosted by yours truly, this half-hour episode of “On The Run” takes viewers on a tour of Brooklyn that’s 25,000 runners strong. We’ll bring you all the excitement of race week from the beer, bites and beats of the Brooklyn Half Pre-Party presented by New Balance in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge to the fantastic finish on the Coney Island boardwalk.

Be sure to watch or set your DVR. And if you’re not in the New York metro area, the episode will be available online after the broadcast at ontherun.nyrr.org.

Come take a trip on the Wonder Wheel and outrun the subway with “NYRR On The Run at the 2014 Brooklyn Half!”

Brooklyn Half On TV

Befitting such a big race, I spent Brooklyn Half race day at the start outside the Brooklyn Museum and the finish on the Coney Island Boardwalk with “NYRR On the Run” filming a TV episode for ABC in New York. All week long, we ran around Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Half Pre-Party presented by New Balance catching all the action from race week.

Until then, here are some photos from my week. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the Brooklyn Half is one of my absolute favorite races of the year. I love the pre-party, the course and the vibe. The race was my first half-marathon back in 2010, and I cheered on friends in 2011 and 2012. Now I’ve reported from the Brooklyn Half two years running with “NYRR On The Run” and it’s always a highlight of my year. Read the rest of this entry →

18

May 2014

The sold-out NYRR Brooklyn Half on Saturday, May 17 is almost here. A record 25,000 runners will trek 13.1 miles from Prospect Park to Coney Island. And with it comes one of my favorite parts of the event that anyone, even non-runners, can take part in: the Brooklyn Half Pre-Party Presented By New Balance. It’s easily the best “expo” I’ve ever been to with Brooklyn bands, beers, a barber shop, food, fitness classes, group runs, shoe recycling, shopping and more.

At the Brooklyn Half Pre-Party. (Photo: nyrr_ontherun/Instagram)

This year the Pre-Party is going down at Pier 2 Brooklyn Bridge Park, a five acre playground of recreational and sports space. It’s a hop, skip or a jump from Manhattan via subway, water taxi, ferry and bus.

But why not make like a runner and run there?

The Brooklyn Half Pre-Party Fun Run, presented by New Balance, will take runners four miles from the New Balance Experience Store at 150 5th Avenue in Manhattan to the Pre-Party in Brooklyn on Thursday, May 15 at 10:30 a.m.

Runners who join the free event will get early access to the Pre-Party, skipping bib and shirt pickup lines. New Balance will even ferry your gear from the store to the party and front you a subway card for the trip home. RSVPs are limited. Sign up on the New Balance New York Facebook page.

Scenes from the Brooklyn Half Pre-Party Presented By New Balance. (Photo: nyrr_ontherun/Instagram)

Can’t ditch work that early on Thursday? The NYRR Brooklyn Half Pre-Party is open from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14 and Thursday, May 15. On Friday, May 16 the Pre-Party will be hopping from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Be sure to bring your old running shoes and sneakers. NYRR is launching a Recycle Your Sole program at the Pre-Party. Runners who donate kicks will get a $25 coupon from New Balance, valid toward any purchase of $100 or more at the New Balance store in Manhattan. Read the rest of this entry →

08

May 2014

Runners storm Times Square at the NYC Half. (Credit: Courtesy of NYRR)

Reminder: The 2014 TCS New York City Marathon application closes today, Tuesday, March 18, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. If you want to apply for the random draw, visit tcsnycmarathon.org before then. The drawing will take place Wednesday, March 26.

The 2014 NYC Half on Sunday, March 16 was the race’s biggest year yet with 20,750 finishers, its first professional wheelchair race and a newly enhanced course. I was on the scene with NYRR’s On The Run at the NYC Half.

Two-time defending New York City Marathon champion Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya took home the title in the men’s race. Half-marathon debutante Sally Kipyego, also of Kenya, set an event record on her way to win the women’s race.

The race was not without drama, starting with a chilly 31-degree temp and 18 mph winds. Then Great Britain’s Mo Farah, a favorite to battle Mutai for the win, fell before the 10K mark. He rallied to finish in second place, but as the top three men gathered to take a photo right after the finish, Farah passed out.

In my finisher’s blanket warming up.

I was standing by to interview the top three men, and watched the whole thing unfold. Medics rushed to his side, trying to revive and warm him. I was wearing a long, down coat between stints on camera. So I handed my coat to the folks tending to Farah. A few others did the same. When Farah finally came to, the medic put my coat on him as they took him to the medical tent. So the crew gave me a finisher’s heat sheet to keep me warm for the next few hours until my coat made its way back to me.

But rather than tell you all about the race, I’ll let you watch.

Here is the professional race recap, a follow-up on all the runners we profiled earlier in the week, a profile of winner Sally Kipyego, and the inspiring story of Jessica Mar, who went from 268 lbs. to 128 lbs and a 1:50 half-marathon in just two years. Watch and enjoy!

Today we’ve got four more running videos from On The Run at NYC Half 2014: A former Marine who continues to serve his country and three of the top pros to watch on Sunday. Each one is about two to three minutes long, so watch and enjoy! And be sure to check out our recap of the race on Sunday evening.

Brian Gallagher

Former Marine Brian Gallagher has raised over $60,000 for wounded veteran organizations. Now he’s running the NYC Half for Hope For The Warriors.

Mo Farah

Mo Farah is at the top of the sport. The double Olympic and World Champion is back to regain his 2011 title at the NYC Half on his way to his first marathon in London in April.

Molly Huddle

American record holder Molly Huddle is making her half-marathon debut at the NYC Half.

Amanda McGrory

Paralympian Amanda McGrory leads the field for the first profession wheelchair race at the NYC Half.

You can find every episode of On The Run online at ontherun.nyrr.org and and youtube.com/nyrrvideo. Watch the NYC Half 2014 marathon on Sunday, March 16 live in the New York City metropolitan area on ABC-TV from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. EDT. You can also watch the race at 7online.com from 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. EDT, or WatchABC on mobile devices from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. EDT. WatchESPN subscribers can also watch the race from 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

14

Mar 2014

Mike Cassidy cross the 2013 New York City Marathon Finish with Meb Keflezighi. (Photo: NYRR On The Run)

Mike Cassidy

Mike Cassidy is one of New York City’s top local elite runners. I’ve had the chance to interview the Staten Island native three times now: after he won the 2013 Staten Island Half, after he finished the 2013 New York City Marathon hand-in-hand with Meb Keflezighi, and now in preparation for the NYC Half. He qualified for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials with a 2:18 marathon, and yet he’s just a regular guy going to graduate school while training hard.

Among the many things that impress me about Mike is that he has an amazing outlook on running and on life. If you haven’t read his LetsRun.com essay, “The Time of My Life,” you should. Now he puts it into words, and what the marathon moment meant to him, for On The Run.

Goodwill

Goodwill Industries is best known for its retail stores, as name checked by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis in the mega-hit “Thrift Shop.” But the non-profit uses the proceeds from those stores to spread a whole lot of good will, including at the NYC Half.

Goodwill will collect discarded clothing at the start of the race, which will then be sold at Goodwill stores throughout the New York metro areas. Every 91 cents the organization collects goes to fund their job creation programs, including finding workers to stuff the 23,000 NYC Half finisher recovery bags and staff fluid stations along the course. It was really incredible to visit the Goodwill warehouse and see just how much they do. This is just a tiny glimpse.

We’re back! I’ve been filming with NYRR On The Run since Monday for the 2014 NYC Half marathon which takes place Sunday, March 16. We’ve got a week full of stories about professional athletes, charity runners and lots more. Instead of 30-minute episodes, we’re releasing each story as a stand-alone video. So the best way to catch them all is to subscribe to NYRR’s YouTube Channel. I’ll post them all here on RunKarlaRun.com, as well.

It’s been an awesome week so far. I’ve been to Goodwill Industries’ New York headquarters in Queens where they’re assembling goodie bags for runners after the finish; Battery Park at the tip of Manhattan with local elite runner Mike Cassidy who finished the 2013 New York City Marathon hand in hand with Meb Keflezighi; on the High Line park on Manhattan’s West Side with Fred’s Team runner Regina Romain; out to a middle school in New Jersey where teacher Mike Anderson and guidance counselor Dana Ash are running in honor of one of their students; and to the East Village in Manhattan where the Black Roses running crew trains under the cloak of night.

I’ll also be heading to the expo, catching up with a few other runners and covering the course on race day to capture all the action. My co-host Carrie Tollefson will also be chatting with pros like Mo Farah, Molly Huddle, and Sally Kipyego. And we’ll bring you a recap of the entire event after the race. Read the rest of this entry →

There was the high of running in Hawai’i and the low of getting sick for my fall marathon. And there was the redemption of a 5K PR after marathon season was over.

If 2013 taught me anything, it’s that you can’t win them all. But you can still have fun trying.

This photo of me with my finisher’s medal at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is proof of that. I was sick, failed to run a marathon personal best like I wanted, but still managed to enjoy the race. My smile says it all.

And you know what? When you give a goal your best and fail, it makes the successes even sweeter. I ran 6 of the 13 races either as fun runs or training runs and I ran 7 of the 13 races as races, pushing with everything I had. I managed to PR at three of them, and scored a few PRs in workouts without even trying, too. I’ll save those for my Goals of 2014 post.

What an amazing day to be in New York City. The 2013 ING New York City Marathon came back with the biggest field of runners in the history of the sport. At the 43rd running of the race 50,304 finishers made it the world’s largest marathon ever.

Bryan Steinhauer ran the ING New York City Marathon after recovering from a life-threatening attack and coma. (Photo: On The Run/NYRR)

In this episode of “On The Run” Tim Hutchings, Carrie Tollefson and I look at the highlights from the race, talk to some runners including pros and charity runners, and follow-up with a few of the athletes we profiled in previous episodes including Bryan Steinhauer, Team One Spirit, Bill Rancic and more. We also take a look back at the excitement of race week.

But I’d also like to share my thoughts about the marathon and what it means to me.

It was an honor to be a part of race week and the marathon, and to be in the middle of all the action. I’ve run the ING New York City Marathon three times and watched as a spectator even more. Each time, New York didn’t disappoint. It was my first marathon and it still stands as my favorite. Read the rest of this entry →

06

Nov 2013

In the latest installment of “On The Run at the 2013 ING New York City Marathon,” we broadcast from the Dash to the Finish Line 5k, a run from the United Nations to the marathon finish line in Central Park. More than 5,000 runners joined the race, including a stacked field of Olympians.

We bring you the race and chat with some of the favorites including Shalane Flanagan, Molly Huddle, Sally Kipyego, Evan Jager, Lopez Lomong, and Nick Willis.

Plus, the amazing story of Bryan Steinhauer: after languishing in a coma following a life-threatening attack, Steinhauer re-learned to talk, walk, and run. Now he’s taking on the ING New York City Marathon.

Join Tim Hutchings, Carrie Tollefson and and me as we cover a world-class field of athletes on marathon eve.